2024-05-16 - Channel 5 Belize

Worst Wildfire Residents of San Pedro Columbia Have Ever Seen

Forest fires are not uncommon at this time of the year. But reports coming out of San Pedro, Columbia are that wildfires have leveled more than fifteen hundred acres of land in the Toledo District over the last two days. These lands include an abundance of farmlands that residence cultivate to make ends meet. Area Representative Oscar Requena says he has had to join the fight over the last two days to put out fires in the community, as his property is also being affected. He says that while residents experience the destructive nature of wildfires annually, this is the worst it has ever been. Community members have been coming together to assist each other in protecting their livelihoods. But the task at hand is overwhelming and their resources are few. To add to the damage being done to farmlands, wildlife is also being lost to the inferno. Images of torched tapirs, ocelots and gibnuts have surfaced. We spoke with Requena over the phone. He told us that he believes this runaway wildfire originated from a careless farmer who left a small fire unattended.

On the Phone: Oscar Requena, Area Representative, Toledo West

“This is a very serious situation that happened in San Pedro Columbia and of course over the last few days we have witnessed fires burning in many other communities, Golden Stream, Medina Bank and Crique Hute and several other communities. This dry weather has of course severely been one of the main reasons why fires have really escalated and burn a lot of farmlands in San Pedro Columbia alone. I believe that well in excess of fifteen hundred acres of land have been destroyed, farmlands. Essentially what has happened is that people’s livelihoods have been destroyed and it is very difficult for them. I believe the source of the fire is as a result of a careless farmer who was burning and really left the fire untended. There is an urgent need to put in place these strategic plans as to how the communities being impacted are going to move forward as we prepare to mitigate the severe effects of fire. I am certain that from a community perspective we need to come together and get government agencies and NGOs to come together and develop a clear strategy as to how this is going to be dealt with because fires in the Toledo District, particularly in these areas is not something new. This has been happening quite frequently, but of course this year has been one of the worst years.”

NEMO On the Ground in Toledo to Assist Wildfire Victims

According to the Toledo West Area Representative, the National Emergency Management Organization, NEMO, has deployed personnel to the area to conduct assessments of the damage and its impact on the community. Requena is calling for a reconnaissance mission over the area so that Belizeans can get a better understanding of all that has been lost so far. Here is what he told us.

On the Phone: Oscar Requena, Area Representative, Toledo West

“What I can say is that I just spoke to the minister of NEMO and what has happened is that there has been activation on the ground and certainly here is a lot of work taking place. The first thing is to get the various agencies on the ground to conduct an assessment of what has occurred and how it is impacting the livelihoods of our people, issues associated with fires and smoke, possible health issues and really with a strategy to provide some sort of relief where possible. I want to ask that apart from just the great negative effects on the livelihoods of people it is really heart breaking to see the severe damage on the flora and fauna. You are talking about seeing tapir burnt, ocelots and gibnuts, just wildlife. It is really terrible. I want to call on the authorities to do a reconnaissance of the area and they would really, I think the nation would get a clear understanding of the damage and impact that has occurred to just lands in the Toledo District.”

Brushfires are Destructive to the Flora and Fauna

And while a vast part of Columbia Village is on fire currently, the rising temperatures are not helping the situation any. Today, a news team headed out along a portion of the George Price Highway, and while there was no burning bush along the stretch leading to the Belize Zoo, they captured evidence of wildfires that swept through the area a week or two ago. Other areas that are still burning are in the Mountain Pine Ridge, and the smoke that has drifted this way makes visibility upon the horizon difficult. Marion Ali reports.

Marion Ali, Reporting

Today the brushes along the George Price Highway showed all the signs of fires that have burnt through several areas. Large tracts of land show parched trees and greenery that are left bare by the blaze that ripped through. The Forest Department trains non-government personnel on how to fight wildfires, the agriculture department tackles agricultural blazes, and the fire department deals with fires that threaten or burn property. Chief Forest Officer, John Pinelo says that if you have to light a bush fire in a rural setting, there are some specific dos and don’ts.

Via phone: John Pinelo Jr, Deputy Chief Forest Officer

“We recommend that you burn fires in the morning or in the evening if you need to burn. And if you’re going to do that, you need a fire line. You need to have clearance around your boundary so that it does not jump in somebody else’s property. Unfortunately, too often, people like their fires and they walk away and leave it and then it jumps into somebody else’s property. And that. Becomes the beginning of a wildfire that can recover on hundreds of acres, maybe thousands of acres. That is one of the major issues we have in the country right now. We have this tradition of burning bush before the rain comes so we can plant and that is what is exacerbating this issue. We’re already having this climate change problem. And we have people still burning and doing these types of activities for the environment. It is not good for the. Air people with allergies, people with asthma are heavily affected. It is bad for visibility.”

Pinelo says the degree of damage and losses that these wildfires cause to the environment is unnecessary and is preventable.

Via phone: John Pinelo Jr.

“It’s dangerous and not to mention the loss of biodiversity that we’re having not only the trees, but in the thousands and thousands of wildlife that are getting killed because of these fires. They can’t really leave for animals that can’t be their area. They get burnt, we lose all of that biodiversity because of all these fires.”

Today, the horizon near Gracie Rock was barely visible from the George Price Highway because of the tremendous amount of smoke that has been caused by wildfires. Aside from the poor visibility, the smoke also triggers respiratory issues. These are some of the experiences, aside from loss of property that villagers of Columbia are facing now.

Via phone: John Pinelo Jr.

“Right now in Columbia, there’s a huge wildfire burning people’s farms. Threatening hoses, because somebody started a fire here and it came to it until it was done. So now we have this major issue burning our forces are burning people’s houses down, burning their crops because of negligence.”

Anyone who wants to light a fire for agricultural purposes must get a permit from the Forest Department. Failure to provide evidence of this to the police can lead to arrests. Marion Ali for News Five.

C.C.J. Holds Monitoring Hearing on Implementation of Consent Order

This morning, the Caribbean Court of Justice held its latest monitoring hearing on the implementation of the Maya Land Rights Consent Order. In April 2015, the Maya Leaders Alliance and the Government of Belize entered a consent order in which G.O.B. agreed to develop a mechanism to recognize the land rights of the indigenous Maya people, among other things. The last monitoring hearing was held in October 2023. Parties in the matter are required to provide updates to the court prior to these hearings. In today’s session, C.C.J. judges noted that the recent reports are the most positive they have received since the start of these hearings. There is, however, one matter of concern that was raised by the government’s lead attorney, Senior Counsel Andrew Marshelleck. He told the court that certain Maya villages are distributing homemade land titles to residents. Marshalleck called on the court to put a stop to this exercise.

Andrew Marshalleck, Lead Government Attorney

“Over the period, some concerns, and we raised it in the report, is the discovery by the government that some villages have been issuing out what we call homemade titles to land. We think that has the potential of derailing the process and we will ask for restraint in that kind of activity. You will notice that paperwork being distributed a logo, the coat of arms along with others gives the impression that this is some formal document, a formal title from the state and I am sure it can lead to unrealistic expectations. It might well be some of these things that fuel strong objections to the policy. We are asking for restraint in these activities on the part of the respondent.”

Justice Adrian Saunders, President, Caribbean Court of Justice

“Were there discussions between the parties about the dissemination of the homemade tittle?”

Andrew Marshalleck

“No it was not raised at the meeting, it was not dealt with at the meeting. We just raised it. It has been in the compliance reports that we are aware and to the fairness of the respondents I don’t think it is all the respondents that are engaged in this activity. As far as we are aware it is maybe two but we don’t have all the information or fully apprised to the extent of what has been happening in this regard. But instead of being confrontational I am asking for restrain in these types of things, that this won’t help us along even if only from a political perspective.”

Are Maya Villages Distributing “Homemade” Land Titles to Residents?

In response to Senior Counsel Marshalleck’s concern, Leslie Mendez, attorney for the Maya Leaders Alliance, told the court that her clients are open to organizing a meeting with government and those villages engaged in the distribution of homemade land titles. Mendez contended that these communities are well within their right to distribute residential lots and that the certificates are simply being used to formalize that process.

Leslie Mendez, Attorney for Maya Leaders Alliance

“As it concerns the home titles, we from our perspective we would definitely be open to supporting a meeting between the government and the village or villages that are participating in this. But I would make two observations, but I can only assume, but I believe that the Belizean logo with the coat of arms that my learned senior referred to I believe it is in fact being used in response to the sensitivity which the community would have with regards to the accusations of balkanization. I have seen it used very much, the organization also uses it, but the idea is certainly to ensure that what is being communicated is that this remains Belize and we remain under the jurisdiction of Belize. It is not intended to be any misrepresentation of your honor, so I would just make that observation. And the second observation that I would make is that the communities would have the right to distribute residential lots at this time and they have been distributing residential lots. These certificates are simply to try to formalize that process and give it some formality.”

Justice Winston Anderson, President, Caribbean Court of Justice

“Because there is a connection between that activity and the delimitation exercise. And, as I understand it, last I was reading the report sent in, there is still some disagreement with that process. We seem to have moved away from the delimitation and moved to some circular scheme.”

GOB Makes Amendments to Proposed Maya Land Right Draft Policy

A deadline of October 2025 has been set for the passage of Maya land rights legislation through the National Assembly. The government’s recently proposed draft policy was met with strong objections from Maya communities in the Toledo District. G.O.B. has since returned to the drawing board and has decided to omit the section limiting automatic communal lands to one kilometer from the center of each community. With the amendments, Maya communities will be able to apply for any amount of space. Marshalleck noted that those applications will have to be backed up by some evidence.

Andrew Marshalleck, Attorney

“That approach ahs been done away with, met with a very strong negative reaction, though conceptually I thought it was not a bad idea given the reactions to it we have rethought it and there will no longer be an use of it.”

Justice Anderson, President, Caribbean Court of Justice

“In its stead you have what?”

Andrew Marshalleck

“You could apply for any space, no automatic recommendation of any space and certain threshold evidence needs to be met to see if the application is to be granted or not and it is setting that threshold requirement that discussion not center, on exactly what it will be.”

A Businessman is Acquitted of Coast Guard’s Murder

Businessman Leon Perez has been acquitted of the murder of Elston Morter. On Independence Day 2021, Morter, a coast guard seaman, was stabbed to death in Hattieville during a misunderstanding in the American Site area of Hattieville. Perez, who maintained his innocence from the beginning, was freed of the charge earlier today in the courtroom of Justice Candace Nanton. During the trial, crown called a witness to the stand who testified that Perez wasn’t the one who inflicted the deadly stab wounds on Morter. According to Perez’s witness, on the day in question, his wife informed him of an altercation taking place outside of their residence. When he went outside to enquire about the altercation, he observed an individual take a knife out of Perez’s pocket, ran behind Morter and proceeded to stab him. Justice Nanton noted that while the court went through the guidelines of Perez’s case, it also considered the case of the crown. After deliberating, Justice Nanton acknowledged that a case was indeed made out by the crown; however, in her view, there was reasonable doubt put forward by the defense which is why she found Perez not guilty.

Louis Gillett Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder

Businessman Alvin Godfrey was shot inside his place of business in April 2003, during an attempted robbery. He died several months later. The man who pulled the trigger has remained incarcerated for more than twenty years and on Wednesday, convicted murderer Louis Gillett was given a life sentence without the possibility of parole until he has served twenty-nine years in prison. Justice Nigel Pilgrim considered the sentence and, despite the fact that Gillett has served more than half of the sentence and is eligible for parole, he has shown little reform, having only enrolled in one rehab program since being locked up.

Former Coast Guard Seaman is Acquitted of Arson

Thirty-two-year-old Emmanuel McFadzean was accused of causing a fire that destroyed three coast guard vessels back in 2022. He was subsequently charged with arson after it was alleged that he was stealing fuel from one of the boats. Today, the former coast guard seaman was acquitted of arson when a jury of nine returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty. Tears of joy ran down McFadzean’s face as he embraced his daughters following the High Court decision. This afternoon, attorney Bryan Neal said there was insufficient evidence to prove his client guilty of the charge that was brought against him.

Bryan Neal, Attorney-at-law

“This jury really considered the evidence in this case and returned a not guilty verdict because, simply put, there was no evidence of arson against this coast guard, or former coast guard, because I understand that he was relieved of his position last year.”

Reporter

“So tell us, give us an idea of how the vessels, as said in the evidence, or the alleged evidence against Mr. MacFadzean that the Boston Whaler, valued at over six hundred thousand dollars went up in flames. They alleged that he da di man weh dehn sih di run from it and he was charged for arson. What was actually those evidence to support that the jurors saw…”

Bryan Neal

“If there was any evidence, I didn’t see it, and that was our submission. Mr. Arnold and I represented Mr. McFadzean. There was no evidence that he was stealing gas, there was no evidence that he was lighting fuse, there was no evidence that he was doing anything negligently to cause the fire and the jury considered it. The only evidence came from the fire expert and he conceded quite honorably that the fire was accidental and that nobody could have started the fire. So I think the jury, that weighed heavily on the jury’s mind and they returned, in my mind, the right verdict. Justice has been served.”

Child Bitten by Venomous Snake Needs Your Help

An eleven-year-old boy was bitten by a venomous snake earlier this week and his mother is seeking your help to pay the hospital bills. Dorita Caliz told News Five that the eleven-year-old boy, Adrian Cus, went to get the family’s horse from a nearby creek in Silver Creek Village, Toledo when the incident happened. She named the snake as a Fer de Lance, known also as the Tommy Goff, one of Belize’s most venomous snakes. The child was first taken to the PG community hospital but was transferred to the Southern Regional Hospital where he is receiving treatment and is being monitored by specialists. But the time he spends hospitalized is causing financial issues for a family, which is already strapped for cash. So Caliz is hoping that you can assist them.

Via phone: Dorita Caliz, Mother of Snake Bite Victim

“He came from school from 3:30, and he reached home and he reached at his auntie’s home, but I wasn’t at home that time. And then I told my sister-in-law to send him to get the horse across the creek. So he went to get the horse across the creek, and then when he was coming back home, right there the snake bite him inside the creek. She took him to the hospital at Punta Gorda and then they sent him here in Dangriga, so he’s in Dangriga Hospital right now. He’s staying in the hospital. I don’t know how long he will stay in the hospital because his foot is still swelling. He has a swelling on his foot and hospital bills – I don’t know how much – and I don’t want to owe the hospital. And then, after that, I don’t know how long he will stay at home because I need to see what I can do after that when he leaves hospital, if the swelling doesn’t come down. I don’t have a job, I just do my little business. I just make coconut oil, yellow ginger to support my kids. That’s what I do with my business, and I have my common-law (husband), he only do farming. He doesn’t go work nowhere. And then we just do that to provide and that’s the only thing we do at home. And they burn my common-law farm and everything is damaged there.”

If you would like to assist the boy with his medical bill, you can contact his mom, Dorita Caliz at six, three, four, seven, four, six, one.